FOLLOWING MotoGP Valencia in Spain, the final race of the season, the chief of Power Electronics forecasted that Claiming Rule Team (CRT) riders may get closer to the bigger, more established manufacturers’ teams in MotoGP, the premier track-racing event for motorcycles.

In a report published in motogp.com, Aspar team manager Jorge Martinez was quoted making the pronouncement after team riders Aleix Espargaro and Randy de Puniet dominated the new category last year, topping other CRTs 13 times in 18 races, and ranking seven times in the top 10 of the fastest riders in MotoGP. The two riders also achieved the fastest CRT time on 17 qualifying sessions, and were locked in an inter-team battle to come out top in their category.

The title was only decided at the final race in Valencia, where Espargaro secured top honors by beating de Puniet. Espargaró took CRT victories in Jerez, Portugal, Catalunya, Britain, Laguna Seca, Aragon, Japan, Malaysia and Australia, according to the motogp.com report.

“For us, finishing as the sixth-best team in MotoGP and as CRT titlist, with Aleix as champion and Randy in second, was a great year and a great joy,” Martinez was quoted in the report.

CRT, a category introduced in MotoGP’s 2012 season, is designed for teams not entered by any major motorcycle manufacturer. It is intended to allow independent teams to be competitive at a lower cost and increase the number of entries in MotoGP.

“We are already working to improve for next year,” Martinez, according to motogp.com, continued. “I think it has been a pretty good year, where we were usually between 1.3 seconds and 1.8 seconds off the first MotoGP bike and we believe that we can still improve and get closer to the factory teams. But, obviously in the CRT class next year, other teams are going to bring it to us, too.”

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